A note will be taken to the Executive Council of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to approve approximately $5 million in funding for a Tobago wildlife survey.
The Secretary of the Division of Agriculture, Marine Affairs, Marketing and the Environment (DAMME), Godwin Adams says that although a national wildlife survey, in conjunction with other stakeholders, was launched earlier this year, the finances for that initiative have not yet reached Tobago.
“There was a wildlife survey that we would have announced for Tobago, but that wildlife survey was to be done in cooperation with the EMA (Environmental Management Authority) and the EMA was given the mandate to have this survey done throughout Trinidad and Tobago. The funding for such an exercise did not meet out to Tobago. So, that survey was never started. However, that survey is so important to us in Tobago so that we can get a better idea of our game species in Tobago and their population. I want to assure you that that survey will go on. I am to take a note to the Executive Council to fund this much needed survey.” states Adams.
Although the Secretary could not provide a projected start time for the survey, he did disclose that it will take place over a three year period. Adams emphasised the importance of the island’s wildlife to all sectors of the economy saying, “I feel strongly that a wildlife survey is important to Tobago. A national survey is okay, but what happens in Tobago would be slightly different to what occurs in Trinidad.” He notes that empirical data is critical to the management of wildlife systems on the island.
Further, the Division is making strides in an attempt to greater manage one of Tobago’s indigenous species, the land crab. “And with us speaking to wildlife, we have crab hunting. Crab hunting has been taken to a different level in Tobago and sometimes we have people purchasing spiders because those crabs are so small they need to grow a little bit more. Against that background, we at the Division will be taking on crab farming and in taking on the crab farming we will look at the best way possible to treat with our land crab,” explains Adams.
He acknowledges however, that this will not be an easy feat given the specific conditions needed for the species to thrive. Adams is calling on the public to join in on the crusade to protect the indigenous animal.
“It’s going to be a very challenging process, but I think that we can surmount those challenges by our crab hunters being very careful with the sizes of crab that they catch and sell to the public. We also want to make the public understand that they are stakeholders in this whole quest for prevention and protection, and preservation of the crab stock on the island because Tobago is known for its beautiful crab and dumpling.” says Adams.
Source: Tobago News.
Author: Mersha Ramsey
Date of publication: 19 April 2015.
Caiere Chase does not claim any rights to this article, which is only reproduced here for news & archival purposes.
